Latch mechanism for scoops



June 2, 1953 v. l- L BORGELT 2,640,614

LATCH MECHANISM FOR scoops Filed Jan. 29, 1948 2 sheets-sheet 1 Figi.

nventot v8 Vmtm Gttorneg June 2, 1953 v. H. BORGELT 2,640,614

LATCH MECHANISM FoRvscooPs v Filed Jan. 29, 1948 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Patented June 2, 1.953

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Victor H. Borgelt, Wisner,l Nebr.

:Application January 29, 1948,`Serial N o. 5,07 5

1. Claim. l

This invention relates to material movingA devices and more particularly to. an improvement in latch mechanisms for scoops.

As is well known during shoveling operations it is desirable to have the bottom vofthe scoop ofthe .material mover inclinedly Ydisposed with respect to the surface of the ground. :Itisparticularly desirable to have the -scoopbottomadjustable for diierent. angles of inclinationin accordance with thecontour of the surface of the soil. y

During the scooping -ofa ditch or depression in the ground itv is necessary .that the forward end=of the scoop be inclined toa greater extent than normally for scooping soil from vthe ditch in lieu` of cutting oif theshoulders of. the ditch. Conversely, during. removal of a hump or' other convex soil surface, it isdesirable to have the cutting' edge of the scoop. inclinedupwardly.

, It -is also-desirable that it be possible for an..

operator, withoutleaving his driving seat, toadjust theinclination of the scoop. bottom. This feature is particularly desirable `in thefdifcult :scoopingL of debris from irrigationditches. Such ditches are three orl four. feet wide and become frequently clogged withV debrisl and loose sand which flows in with the water.

.It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a latchmechanism vfor a scoop which will enable an operator to adjust vthe inclination of the scoop bottom .from the drivers seat.

:Another object of .the..invention is to provide a. scoop mechanisme-which is adjustable z-as described for facilitating the formation of deep o shallow cuts.

Still another object vof the invention is to provide a latch mechanism as described havingother possible adjustments -of the.scoopbottom inclination, such other adjustments being adapted to be made prior. to.making a cut. or scooping operation.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a-latch mechanism for scoops which is particularly designed for causing dumping of the latter at times when the load .is so disposed as to Vprevent -a forward dumping of vthe .load through the over-balancing of the scoop.

.Another object of ythe invention is to provide a device for the purpose described which isI sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and ecient in operation. and relatively. simple and inexpensive to manufacture,v assemble and .utiliiae.

fOther .and still. further. Vobj ects, andA advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed :description ofra. preferredmbodiment thereof.

In the' drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevationofthe latchfme'chy anism of the invention shownv as-.attached 12o-.fa

material scooping and lifting device, thezlatter being secured to atractor;-theitractorand -bo'om raising means beingshownain"dottedgflines, .a portion. of the rear axle .andrear .axiehousing being shown in fullslines,=;certain partsmftthe invention being broken awayaand otherfparts showing .in section;

Figure 2 isa topplanl View of 'themechanism shown in Figure 1;

Figure-3 is aside elevation of anenlargeddetail .ofthe latchf .hook and'. adjacentsparts, :certain parts thereof beingnbrokem away fortrevealing other: parts i disposed 'behindi them;

Figure 4 isadetailed topuplanvviewshowing a set-screw arrangement which is for thepurpose of regulating` the tension ofc a spring-employed aswell as for further adjustment of the'inclination of the scoop.' bottom;

Figure 5 is a detailed top plan View of thelatch 'hook' portionl of the device; a connecting rod;- and the remainder: of the scoop-being. broken.y away;

Figure 6 .is Aa '.-detailed 4side-elevation:sof fthe mechanism; employed for,y Vlocking .a handelever in any one of several positionszthexremaining portion 'of the leverand` of4 a push-pull roduzsed beingrbroken awayand Figure '7 is an end elevation ofthe partsrshown iii-Figure `6.

Figure. 8l is .an enlargeddetailed assembly;` in top planview ofithe mechanismas. shown :fin Figurev 12. for varying Athezanglenof,attack ofthe scoop, .a dotted v.line p-osition l:of parts showsaa downwardly tiltedrv vposition ofthe scoop.

*The latch mechanismuof: thisxinventionis for attachment V"toga material 'movingr mechanism, including a tractor generally indicated at I0.

The tractor. al Ofis. provided with .'fzorwardwheels |27. extending .downwardly -from an ,engineihousing 1.4,- the latter beingsecured .bynmeansV ofvzaA connectingportion` Irto a rearaaxle |.1,:a rear axle `housing I8, .aY differential housing;V 20 and two rear wheels 22.

.--.A;= scoop. loading mechanism; attached -ltothe tractor Y l (if `includes J two.` parallel:` boomsiil'i.i ex-l -tending longitudinally .at ,either .iside fof #fthe f .pivotally secured. vat-...their :fo-rwardf-.ends to.;.sidej plates 38 of a scoop generally indicated at 40.

A pair of right angle brackets 42 secured to the plates 38 by means of welding 44 are employed together with a pair of pivot pins 46 to secure the forward ends of the booms 30 to the scoop 40.

The pivot pins 4B are preferably so disposed with respect to the scoop 40 that the center of gravity of the scoop 40, when the latter is fully loaded. will be disposed forwardly of the pin l46.

The scoop 40 is further provided with removable side extension plates 48, which latter are attached to the back 50 of the scoop and to the outer tines 52 by means of suitable bolts 54.

The bottom 60 of the scoop 40is also :removably secured to the tines 52 by means of suitable bolts A|52. As thus described the bottom 'B0 and sides 38 may be removed from the tines 52 at times when it is desired to scoop hay or straw in lieu of dirt or the like.

The back 50 is preferably provided with an inclined upper extension E4 extending slightly forwardly for the purpose of facilitating vthe retention of dirt or the like in` the`scoop`40.

lTheabove described' parts are old in the art and are here shown only for purposes of reference.

The latch mechanism of the invention will now be described and includes a pair of ears 1| and 12A which are longitudinally disposed with respectto the tractor in spaced apart parallelism witlrfrespect to each other.V A detent or roller 14 is rotatably secured between the ears 1| and 1-2rby means of a pin 16 which latter extends transversely with respect to the boom 30.

The purpose of the lroller 14 is to receive thereabout the tongue portion 11 and a hook portion 18-'of a floating latchLhook 80. The latch hook 80 therefor'has'an upper surface and an under surface disposed respectively' above and below the detentroller 14. f l

The tongue portion 11 extends forwardly of the rroller 14 a considerable distance for pushing upwardly thereon tocaus'e dumping 'as later described. f

vThe roller 14 forms an engageable scoop means having two upper and lower spaced apart surfaces for engagingsaid'latch, the surfaces being disposed transversely with respect to the length of the boom 30. i

The'hook lportion v18 extends around the top of the roller 1-4 enough to prevent. prematur dumping 'of the scoop 40.

The latch-hook 80 is provided witha plural:

ity ofs'paced apart apertures 84 in its lower'end. The apertures 84 are disposed in a depending leg on `a Arow k'extending generally verticallyand transversely of the booms 310. The purposes of the apertures 84 are to receive a pin 81there through for pivotally connecting the latch-hook 80`toa first'arm 83 ofma iirstbell crank mech- "The under surface of the hook portion of the latch hook 80, in other words the upper side of the'tongue 11, is inclinedlydisposed upwardly at itsiouter or forward end with respect to an imaginary line drawn at a right angle with respect to a second imaginary line, which latter'line'is disposed 'extending'through the inner end of the said under surface'and through the pivot'point of thev latch' hook'80. The latter point can be disposed at any one of the apertures 84 as above described. Y

"The arm y88 is rigidly secured to a shaft 90 ofthe bell crank mechanism. I'he shaft 90 is disposed transversely with respect Vto the boomsr 30 and is rotatably mounted at its inner end in a bracket 92 which latter extends forwardly from a cross bar 94.

The cross bar 94 is suitably secured to the booms 30 and extends therebetween at a right angle with respect thereto. The bracket 92 preferably extends forwardly from the cross bar 84 in parallelism with the booms 30 a fractional portion of the distance between the cross bar 94 and the rearward wall 50 of the scoop 40.

At its other and outer end the shaft is rotatably mounted in an aperture through the adjacent boom 30. A second arm 98 of the bell crank mechanism extends upwardly from the shaft 00 and is normally disposed at a right angle with respect to the booms 30. The arm 9B is rigidly secured to the shaft 90.

At the upper end of the arm 98, a push-pull rod |00 is pivotally secured thereto by means of a suitable pin |02.

y' The push-pull rod |00 extends rearwardly alongside the adjacent boom 30 to a generally vertical lever |04, 'to' which the' push-pull rod |00 is pivotally secured at a 'point between -t'he' ends of the lever |04. l'

The'lever |04 is pivotally vsecuredto a'plate |01 by means of a ybolty |08.

adjacent boom 30 by means of suitable'boltg `|'|0.`

A plurality of circular apertures '|20 are disposed through the upper end of theplate |011 The apertures |20 are "arranged in the arcgf a circle having its -center at the pivot bolt |08."

The lever |04 is provided with a lug |22 extending outwardly from that side of the lever-*|04*A which is disposed ppositeth'e'plat'e |01.I The lug |22 isicomplem'entalfin sizetc'the'apertures |20 for receipt Atherein at desired/times.

The bolt |08 is provided with anl enlarged head |30; and a pin |32 is transversely disposed through an aperture in the bolt-head |30;l 4The pin |32 extends through the bolt-head'l30f'ata" right angle with' respect to the vbolt |08. :The lever |04 is bifurcated'at its lower=endfor providing two spaced apart parallel, apertured'nibs which extend about the pin |32 on opposite sides of the bolt-head |30. A pair of coiledsprings' |36 and l'I 38`are provideda'nd are 'disposed about the pin |32 ion either side of the boltlhead |300 -At their inner ends the 'springs |36 'and-138il are each rigidly secured'to the bifurcatedf ends' ofthe lever |04. -At their outer ends the4 springs |36 and |38 'are 'provided 'with 'extensions 40-1- and |42, respectively, whichlatterfaresubstani tially straightand extend tangentiallyiutwardly against the from their respective spririg'to bear adjacent sides of tl'ie'plateZ |`01l |42 during pivotal about the bolt |08.

bolts ||0.

The purpose of the lever |04 and attached parts is to adjust the spacing of thejaws of the."y latch-hook ao 'with respect to the bjopms aofpr, adjusting the position lofl the forward end of., the scoop 40 with respect tothe'booms 30.""""'It,.f;

will be seen that `by: attaching the bellclaik vThe plate l|01 isY itself securely attached to the upper side of the "andfMB" are provided and are lsecured `to the" 'plate' |01 in's'uch positions as to engage' the ends.4 |40 `and l movement A of th'efl level-fl@ maaier@ therv and'pre-determined Aadjustments maysbe made.

.'.Means' lfory releasingithe flatch-hookz.: 80 .from the roller 14. Vare'. provided andawilltinowbedescribed. `Such means include asecondv bell crank or.v rocker shaft'` |60.l disposed.longitudinallyv with The. connecting rod |66 is secured tothearm;

|64 at its rearward end .and isz'hooked .through al' desired one of a pluralitybf'fholes |10..in .the latch-hook 00-.at. the forwardlmend' ofnthe". connecting rod |60. .'Irhe'holes |10 are `spaced apart and disposed in a row: extending transversely away from fthe booms 230,*certain of the holes |10 being disposed further away from the lever andhthe'laperture |166 thanothers ofthe'holes |10. The purpose-of theholes |zvwill be later described.

A lever' |00 is provided andis disposed transverselywith respect tol the" b'ooms 30 extending upwardly therefrom. The'lever '|90 is provided with an eyelet |92` at `its upper end Vfor the reception'ofa pull rope' |94. The'rearward .end'of the'pull rope' '|94 extends to within reachiof'the operatorv of the tractorl |0"while sitting in the drivers' seat.

The lower' end ofthe lever |90 is rigidly secured to the second bell vcrank shaft |60. A piece of angle iron |96 is 'secured'tothe'leverf |90.a`d jacent the lower 'end thereof and the angle iron |96 extends transversely with respect to thel'ever |90, being normally disposed in a position generally parallel to the upper side of the adjacent boom 30. A set-screw 200 is threadedly disposed through a threaded aperture in the angle iron |06.

The purpose of the set-screw 200 is to adjust the relative position of the angle iron |96 and the adjacent boom for regulating the forward position of the lever |92 and for regulating the tension of a later described coiled spring 220.

The coiled spring'220 is of a tension type being secured to the lever |90 at a point between the ends of the latter by means of eyelets 222 and 224. The spring 220 extends forwardly and downwardly from the lever |90 at an angle with respect thereto and is secured at its lower end to the adjacent boom 30 by means of a suitable eyelet 230.

In operation and during shoveling movements, the spring 220 will tend to maintain the latchhook 60 about the roller 14 for locking the scoop in shoveling position with respect to the surface of the ground 250, as best shown in Figurel.

When it is desired to lower the forward end of the scoop 40 with respect to the booms 30 during shoveling movement, the operator may readily do so by urging forwardly on the lever |04. This will in turn operate through the first described bell crank mechanism for elevating the latch-hook 80 with respect to the booms 30.

Such elevating motion will cause the scoop 40 to rotate clockwise about its pivot pins 46 as best shown in Figure 1, thus urging the forward end of the scoop 40 downwardly.

When it is desired to raise the relative position of the forward end of the scoop 40 with respect to the boom 30, a similar but reverse move- A vertically extending'.

mentV is. .initiated|- by 'pullingfr'earwardly .uponthe leverv 1| 04;v thus moving the rod: .l.| 00 .fin the'xdirection of the arrow 300, as best seen in Figure-8.

to place the scoop in the dotted line position. .fIt will be seen that, prior to operation, furtheradjustments may be made by attaching the arm-'86 to'diferent ones ofthe apertures 84. .Thus. the attachment of the arm 88 toanupper onebf the apertures 84 will cause: a' corresponding. raising of the forward lend of .thefscoop' 40'ywith respect to the booms 30 .and vice versa.

`.During shoveling movements, ,.'countercl'o'ckwise rotation of thev scoopA '40" will be prevented through the actionv of the. spring` 220.

Further adjustments in the positioningifofithe scoop.4 40 lwith respect. ,to thev booms .30 mayibev accomplished vthrough the adjustment ofthe setscrew 20,0,.through the insertion ofl the connecting *rod |68 through different' ones ofthe apergortures |10, through the-attachment ofathei-.arm

88 to different ones'ofthe apertures 84,2 andby inserting the lug |22 of the'leverl04 in different ones ofthe apertures |20.

I'he scoop 40 is pivotallymounted by the' pins 46 andthe only other meansv of retainingrthe scoopohorizontal or at'diierent angles vvlis'the roller 14 and the latch hook. -80 andftheflatch hook lis tilted upwardly or downwardly rby. the link |68, which is held by thespring. 220 through the bell crank shaft |60, whereby adjustmentof the set screw 200 regulates the tilting'positions of the scoop.

When the scoop 40 is loaded, the booms 30Jare elevated and the tractor I0 iscausedxto-propelV the load to a desireddestination. `When itaisde sired to dump the scoop 40 the operatorwill.v pull rearwardly vonthe lever |90. and ropev |94.

This, in turn,\will` pull rearwardlyon lthey latchhook against the urge of the spring 220, disengaging the latch-hook 80 from the roller 14 and permitting dumping of the load.

The load is caused to dump since it will usually over-balance the scoop 40 forwardly of the pivot 46. Should the load be so disposed that the scoop will not over-balance, it will dump anyway due to the upward thrust of the tongue portion 11 of the latch-hook 80.

Following dumping, as the booms 30 are again lowered into shoveling position, the forward end of the scoop 40 will strike the ground rst causing the scoop to pivot counter-clockwise as shown in Figure 1. As the roller 14 strikes the tongue 11 it will automatically become lodged between the tongue 11 and the hook portion 36 for preventing further rotation of the scoop in either direction.

This invention has provided latch mechanism for scoops which holds a scoop in fixed position with respect to its booms, permits quick dumping, and which is particularly adapted for the adjustment of the angle of inclination of the bottom of the scoop with respect to its booms both during and prior to shoveling operation.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a latch mechanism for scoops constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modication including variations in the shape and size of the parts without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as 7, formation ofy the :several i parts 'herein 'shown yin carryingmut; my invention in practice; except as claimedgf f iIn a-,scoop latch, the combination which comprises i ,Y spaced` parallel longitudinally disposed booxnslfor use on a tractor, a'sc'oop havinga` back, side plates, tines, and a bottom positioned be'- twe'enfsaidbooms, brackets extended from said side ,p1ates', pivot pins extended through the brackets, side plates' and booms pivotally mounting-the scoop in thebooms, a cross bar connectingthefbooms and spacedfrom the scoop, vspaced ears extendedfrom the back of the scoop, a roller` positioned fbctween said ears,` a 'pinl extended throughr the vroller and ears for jonrnalingthe tovthe'f'upperedge of said latch-hook, a bell-- crank shaft positioned between the cross bar and scoopv :ii and mounted with one end pivotally mountedx inv` one ofV said booms and ther otherA pivotally mounted ina bracketr extendedfi'ornl said-j cross, bar, a first arm extended from said bell-crankshaft, a pin pivotally connecting said first arm to the depending leg of said latch-hook,

afi'second arm I extended f-from: vsaid bell-crank' shaft and positioned at an angle of substantially:

Min relation to the -rstarmpa `push-pull rod pivotally connectecito said second arm, a rocker shaft kjournaled on saidn crossv bar, a lever Aex-l tended-upwardly from said rockershaft,"posi tioned adjacent the boom in which the bell-'crank shaft is pivotaily mounted, and havingy an 'eye on the upper end for-receiving a rope, a verti cally-disposed'arm carried by said rocker shaft' and/'positioned inf'alignment with said latch'e hook, ya-rod connecting said vertically disposedf arm tosaidlatch-hook; saidlatch-hook havingf a' plurality of spaced openingsv therein for 'receivingf'said connecting rodf'a spring connected at onend to said lever'and'atthe lother to'said' boom adjacent whichthe lever is'positioned, and

a set screw carried xby'. said lever and positior'iedv toY engage vsaid `boom -for adjusting the return position of said latch-hook.-r

V"References Cited y UNITED STATES PATENTS Date',

VNumber Name 2,361,102,` .Werthman et al .Nov. 3,` 1942 2,319,921 Dooley et al May 25, 1943 2,363,986y Mott Nov. 28, ,19,44 2,393,435l ,Wachter- Jan. 22,1946 2,402,064 Markel June 11, 1946 2,415,892 Koehl et al; ,Feb. 18,1947, 2,419,493 Hoi Apr. ,22,1947A 2,429,717 Gordon Oct. 28, 1947 2,433,086 `Borgelt Dec. 23, 1947 243724308` Drettmann Mar. 16, 1948, 2,443,883 Arps June 22,1948

2,462,790 Van V oorhis Feb. 2.2,` 1949 VICTOR H'. BORGELT.

in the le of this patent 'v 

